Simply put, mitigating means "explanatory or justifying." To mitigate means "to lessen the intensity or to make less harsh or severe." The word is a present participle of the verb "to mitigate." The word "mitigating" is known to have entered popular English literature in the second half of the 18th century.
Mitigating circumstances in legal parlance do not excuse or justify an offence but reduce the severity of a punishment or charge by considering certain conditions. Mitigating circumstances are a set of conditions that are considered by the court of law, in determining the guilt of the defendant and the amount of damages he has to pay to the plaintiff.
Mitigating circumstances in legal parlance do not excuse or justify an offence but reduce the severity of a punishment or charge by considering certain conditions. Mitigating circumstances are a set of conditions that are considered by the court of law, in determining the guilt of the defendant and the amount of damages he has to pay to the plaintiff.